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Sweet Child of Mine
"Sweet Child of Mine" is the 989th episode of Casualty and the 28th episode of the 30th series. It was preceded by "High Tide" and followed by "Buried Alive". The episode was directed by Julie Edwards and written by Mark Stevenson. It featured the much anticipated scenes of Connie's kidnapping which were teased in the January 2016 trailer. Coincidentally, this is the last episode to feature scenes from that trailer, making the wait the longest of any of the featured clips. The whole episode took place at the ED, so no external filming locations were used. Synopsis On her way into work, Connie is informed by the childminder that she's ill and that Grace will have to be picked up early. Connie decides to bring Grace into work, and leaves Jack to look after her for the day. Meanwhile, a prison inmate Kieran Blithe - who was convicted of murder - is admitted alongside his primary prison officer Paula Cubie. Paula left her daughter Molly in the car whilst she kept an eye on Kieran. As they began treating him, Connie and Lily discovered an infection on his leg caused from drug use. They patched him up but left him to recover. Connie tells Jacob that she's not ready to reveal their relationship to Grace yet. Elsewhere in the ED, Mercedes is admitted once again, this time suffering from drug induced fits. Her son Connor accompanies her but is soon sent to be looked after by Max. Zoe and Rita treat Mercedes whilst Big Mac waits anxiously to make sure she's okay, but shortly after her wound from the previous month on her abdomen re-opens and begins to bleed heavily. By this point, Connor's dad Vince has arrived and asks why the wound hasn't healed yet, and Zoe explains that Mercedes hasn't been looking after herself properly. Connor plays basketball at the ambulance station with Max and Jez but accidentally knocks over a can of paint with the ball and they leave Jez to clean it up. Max is also taking part in a radio competition where a lucky caller could win tickets to Glastonbury if they call whilst a Rihanna song is playing. Whilst playing chess with Connor, the song "Diamonds" by Rihanna starts playing on the radio and Max calls up. However, he is almost stuck when they ask him to question which will win him the tickets which is to say Rihanna's first name, but Connor covers the phone and whispers it to him. Connor returns to see Mercedes, and Vince tells her that they'll make things right. Meanwhile, Kieran's handcuffs are removed by Paula, who is his lover. Connie comes in to find him loose, and when Paula says he was just going to the toilet, Kieran picks up a HIV infected needle and threatens to stab Connie with it. Paula ties Connie to a wheelchair and Kieran tells her to go along with it and help them escape. Connie and Paula wheel him through reception and when Connie tells Jack they're going for a scan, the plan is nearly foiled but Connie goes along with it to ensure her safety. Kieran changes their plan and decides to head down to the basement and escape there. Whilst in the lift, Paula explains to Connie that she helped him escape as he was offering to pay her, and she needed the money to pay for expensive stem cell treatment in the United States for her daughter. Back upstairs in the ED, Molly arrives in the ED after worrying about the whereabouts of her mother. Ethan treats her, but at the same time is still suffering with his recent discovery. Charlie attempts to make him feel better and trying to get him to confide in Cal, but he reveals that he is blaming it on Cal even though it's not his fault. Other staff members are aware of Emilie's death, but not about the Huntington's result. Connie, Paula and Kieran arrive in the basement and head down the passages to the exit. Jacob becomes worried about Connie's whereabouts when he notices that Kieran has gone and tries to call her. She accepts the call as she's walking with Kieran and Paula but leaves the phone in her pocket. She mentions her whereabouts and the fact she's been kidnapped in conversation to them so Jacob will hear and come and rescue her. to the pipe to tie her up with Jacob.]] They reach the exit and Kieran pins Connie against the wall in anger, asking her why she thinks she's better than them. Paula attempts to just get Kieran to leave, but Jacob arrives which causes the situation to escalate. Kieran tells Paula to handcuff Jacob to a pipe and then tells her to do the same with Connie. However, just as they are about to escape Jacob tells Paula that they have Molly in cubicles and are ringing social services, which causes her to have second thoughts on leaving. In anger at the thought of her not coming, Kieran becomes angry triggering his leg wound to open, and an arterial bleed occurs. Connie tells Paula to let them free to help Kieran or he will die. She is unable to find the key as she threw it down the passage on Kieran's command, but Jacob eventually manages to break them free and get to Kieran. Back upstairs, Louise and Jack trick Big Mac and Noel into going into a cupboard together, and they lock the door so they have no choice but to settle their differences. Although they're both initially intent on getting out as soon as possible, Noel eventually comes to and understanding. Connie and Jacob get Kieran back upstairs into resus but they're unable to save him and he dies. Connie tells Paula that she will put in her statement that it was Kieran who was issuing the threats, as she thought that Paula didn't deserve to lose the relationship she had with her daughter. Just before going home, Cal confronts Ethan outside and tells him to punch him as he's clearly angry. However Ethan just walks away, clearly upset and thinking about what Charlie had said to him earlier. Just before the end of the day, Grace catches Connie kissing Jacob, and is angry that Connie didn't tell her before. Just before Connie and her drive off to go home, Grace tells Connie that she will have to choose between her and Jacob as she can't have the relationship with both as it's too much to fit in. Reception episode of series 30.]] Many fans expressed anger over Facebook and Twitter at the fact that the episode had aired 15 minutes earlier than scheduled in the TV listings. This was due to the fact The Voice finished 15 minutes early due to contestants dropping out. Due to this, many viewers only tuned in when it was scheduled to start as the change wasn't announced so they missed the first part of the episode. In response to the episode, many fans were annoyed at Grace's behaviour in making Connie choose between her and Jacob. Alison Graham from the Radio Times reviewed the episode and said "All the birds stop singing and the sun refuses to shine as Connie's horrible daughter Grace turns up at the hospital yet again because the child minder has called in sick." Snippets of the scenes involving Connie's kidnapping were included in the January 2016 trailer, and were much anticipated by fans. This episode and "Buried Alive" both involve Connie and Jacob being in danger, something which had the possibility to ruin their relationship.